First of all, when renting an apartment in Spain, it 99% of the time comes fully furnished. Meaning, that you get a washer, all the kitchen utensils, beds with mattresses and pillows, and sometimes even bed covers and towels.

As for electricity bills. It's usually like 15-20 euros a month.

A vcr or dvd shouldn't cost more than 100 euros.

A movie ticket is around 4 euros for the cheap night, and 6 euros on a regular night.

A national beer bought at the grocery store is around a euro for a litre bottle. Again this depends where you live I think.

The washer thing sounds great! No more laundrymat! YAY! In the average apartment, what is the state of the provided furniture? I've seen some places here in Mexico, and also in Oz where it looked like they furnished the place with stuff found on the street, left out by people wanting to get rid of their old pee-stained, termite-ridden junk.

I've tried to find online real estate agents to get an idea of prices, but can't seem to get anything of use. I'm going to the Gipuzkoa region of Pais Vasco...

What about water? Can I drink it from the tap, or do I need to buy that too?

As for the state of furniture - it's pretty good. It's the basics, but in good condition. The owners of the apartments pretty much leave what they can't take out of the apartment, whatever is too big or too difficult to take with them.
From all the apartments that I saw, whether it was friends living in them, or myself looking for a place, each and every one of them had sufficient furniture.
Don't worry, you will not need to go out and buy furniture. A t.v maybe, if there isn't one in the apartment.

Hi Loz,
I'm back from Mexico and it's freezing, Brrrrrrrr.
On the Furniture front when I lived in Madrid allmost all of the furniture in the apartments I lived in was ethier givern to us by friends who were moving away or found on the street. Now I know thats sounds dirty but you tend to find that people leave decent furniture on the street when they're done with it. I think it's to do with there not being a local waste dump or something but we got a couple of nice sofas that way.

Have you got yourself a job yet? I've just been offered one for 720euro but I'm going try and get something I could live on. Hopefully near a coast:)

All the best let me know where you end up.
P.S anyone know anything about Zaragoza?
Pete

I'm in Japan this very instant on my way back to Oz for a bit.. I miss bits of Mexico already - other bits I'm feeling fine about leaving . Don't like the idea that its cold there, isn't it supposed to be summer or something??

Yes, I got me a gig. Yes, it pays more than what you have been offered. Yes, its near a coast. Gee, that sounds a bit gloaty dunnit?

Have a look on tefl.com - when last I looked, there were about 27 jobs there for Spain.

There's drinkies round at my place when I get settled in Spain. You and your lovely wife (how did all that go by the way??) are welcome to attend. Bring your own sofa!